1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color setting apparatus and method for reproducing multimedia data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Development of multimedia technology has resulted in the introduction of various kinds of multimedia data and the development of image reproduction systems for reproducing, i.e., playing back or presenting, multimedia data.
Representative image reproduction systems for reproducing multimedia data include a digital television, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a mobile terminal, and so on.
An image reproduction system can reproduce various types of multimedia data in various environments, and the user can often set a color in which the multimedia data is to be played back based on what is suitable within the ambient environment.
For example, when the image reproduction system reproduces multimedia data in an environment where the screen of the image reproduction system is brighter than the ambient light, color of the multimedia data to be played back on the screen of the image reproduction system can be set to faithfully represent what is intended.
If, on the other hand, the image reproduction system plays back multimedia data in an environment where ambient light is brighter than the screen, color of the multimedia data reproduced cannot be faithfully represented and the multimedia data are, as a result, difficult to see.
To resolve this problem, the image reproduction system provides a color setting function for adjusting the color of the screen in dependence upon the ambient environment.
The image reproduction system displays settable colors on the screen, which the user can set or adjust by means of the color setting function.
For example, the image reproduction system may display on-screen, e.g., in bar graph form, a set value (e.g., brightness of color) which is adjustable, and then displays the color corresponding to the adjusted set value while the user sets or adjusts the set value.
The set value displayed in bar graph form has a maximum value and a minimum value for a certain color, and the set value of the currently selected color is displayed together with the bar graph.
However, far more colors can actually be used for reproduction of the multimedia data than can be adjusted using the color setting function.
For example, when the image reproduction system employs a 24-bit RGB color space for reproduction of the multimedia data, 16,777,216 (=28(R)×28(G)×28(B)) colors are usable in reproducing the multimedia data on the display.
However, since the image reproduction system provides the color setting function for only a limited number of colors, the user may not be able to adjust a desired color. Typically, the colors which can be changed by the color setting function are arranged on-screen so that the set value of the color selected from the arrangement can then be adjusted or changed.